For Immediate
Release: Monday, July 15, 2002
Contact: Dave Geringer, Director of Athletic Media Relations, (956) 381-2240
Elysia Sloan of Duncanville, Texas and Duncanville High School, Laura Boskovich of San Jose, California and Mountain View High School, D.J. Zhanel of Ennis, Texas and Ennis High School, and Nik Porter of Tunbridge Wells, England and Bennett Memorial Diocesan School will join the Broncs and Lady Broncs this fall. All four will enter Texas-Pan American as freshmen, and will have four years of eligibility.
Sloan was 20-2 in singles last season at DHS. She was a SuperChampionship-ranked player among girls aged 18 and under in Texas.
Boskovich was ranked 25th in Northern California while playing at St. Francis High School in Mountain View, CA. She is a member of Northern California’s United States Tennis Association traveling team.
Zhanel was a district champion and a regional finalist in class 4A doubles both as a junior and a senior. He qualified for the state tournament in both years, losing in the quarterfinals as a junior and finishing third as a senior. He is ranked as a SuperChampionship player among boys 18 years old and under in Texas
Porter is a highly-ranked junior. His ranking is higher than the ranking achieved by UTPA’s top player, junior Matt Gower (Somerset, England/Kings of Wessex HS/
St. Francis-PA) at a comparable stage in their careers.
“I’m really pleased with the players we’ve signed,” said UTPA Head Coach Todd Chapman. “We have some good young talent coming in that will immediately impact both teams. Nik is a highly-ranked junior from England, and is someone who has the talent to play in the top portion of our lineup. I’m looking for great things from Nik in the next four years. D.J. is an extremely hard worker who comes from a very good high school program. He’s had good success in doubles, and he’ll definitely help us in terms of depth. He has a good up side, and I feel that he will really improve at the college level. Laura is tall, strong and athletic and has a big serve and good ground strokes. She should be able to come in and help us in the middle of the lineup, and make an immediate contribution. Elysia is very athletic, and has a good all-around game. Like Laura, she should come in and help us next year. I feel that all four recruits will give us the opportunity to raise the level of our program next year.”
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